


Symbrock Kisses : 1

by Fox (Spacefoxen)



Series: Symbrock Kisses [1]
Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Dissociation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other, Panic Attack, Sensory Overload
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 01:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17132639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacefoxen/pseuds/Fox
Summary: Prompt by Monster Teeth and Venomtots: Eddie is having a rough day and when someone insults or yells at him on a bus or something, he takes it hard and Venom is there to comfort him.





	Symbrock Kisses : 1

**Author's Note:**

> First prompt fill for my Symbrock Kisses series inspired by [the Winterhawk Kisses series](https://winterhawkkisses.tumblr.com) by [Nny](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nny). 
> 
> The goal is to write 1-3 of these a week as short writing exercises. This one obviously got away from me lmao. Future fills will _hopefully_ not be quite this long. But we'll see what kind of inspiration strikes.
> 
> Not all fills will include kisses, but most will be likely be lighthearted and soft.
> 
> Much thanks to [HelloShepard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/helloshepard) for the beta read and for the [fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17032542) that inspired me to actually start this series.
> 
> Side note: I played around a bit with Venom's pronouns in this one. I usually go with 'We' and they/them, but this time I went with 'I' and he/his and used their/them when referring to V's and Eddie's body. if that makes any sense at all. Writing their pronouns is _hard_ lol. I never know when to use plural or singular pronouns with them.

The trolley is packed and noisy. Passengers are standing shoulder to shoulder, awkwardly pressed together. Those lucky enough to have found a seat now have to figure out the best way to wade through all the bodies to get to the exits when they reach their stop.

The whole place is a riot of unpleasant sensations. Between crying babies, businessmen talking on their phones, people conversing with each other, the traffic noises outside, and the rumbling of the trolley itself, the cabin is filled with a cacophony of sounds. It doesn't smell pleasant, either, and the air feels slightly muggy with the approach of an incoming storms.

Venom barely takes any of this in. He keeps his senses on alert -- in case there is a potential threat -- but prefers to focus on his host.

His currently  _ panicking  _ host. 

Eddie had explained anxiety and panic attacks to Venom early on, teaching him how it's connected to humans’ primitive fight or flight response, that it's normal and that some people need help curbing that response because theirs overreacts.

This had been a while after the Life Foundation fiasco and Venom had gotten used to Eddie's regular biochemistry by this point. He had simply taken the information in and that was that. 

The first time Eddie had an anxiety attack after they had been bonded for a while, Venom had been ready to attack. He attempted to take out whatever threat was causing Eddie's heart to race and his body to flood his system with cortisol and adrenaline; there hadn't been anything, at least nothing physical.

Now, Eddie has his arms wrapped around himself and is chewing on his bottom lip. His foot taps erratically and his eyes dart around. If Venom had to guess, he'd say it's because of the increasing press of bodies and chaotic noise levels. This wasn't exactly a new response to this kind of stimuli.

Normally, Venom would be making snarky comments about the passengers and joking about which ones would be good to eat. Eddie would be in near stitches with holding in his laughter and Venom would feel proud to have distracted his anxious host enough to prevent an anxiety attack.

This time, however, Eddie had been wound tight before they had even boarded the trolley. It wasn't any one thing that had caused Eddie's anxiety to spike, but a series of them. He'd been sharp and prickly all day, snapping at Venom and his co-workers or else staying stubbornly quiet.

Venom doesn't think snark is the proper way to address the anxiety now.

He slides up their spine, sending soothing emotions at Eddie, hoping to calm him. Instead, Eddie stiffens; Venom can hear him grind their teeth, feel their hands clenching.

Venom moves up to their shoulders and attempts to mimic the sensation of the weighted blanket Eddie has at home, the one he uses at night when he can't get to sleep. It only seems to make things worse.

“Quit it,” Eddie mumbles under his breath, which has become fast and shallow. “It feels like you're smothering me.”

**Eddie, you need to calm down.**

“Ya think?”

Venom is about to respond, with what he doesn't know, when Eddie cuts him off.

“No. Just. Stop. Shut up and -- go away or whatever it is you do when I can't feel ya. I can't deal with you and your obnoxious voice in my head on top of everything else right now.” He rubs tiredly at his temple.

The comment hurts. Venom would probably lash out in anger -- say something stupid -- if it wasn't for the acrid taste of fear and anxiety coursing through their blood and the burning feeling of guilt and shame burning low in their gut like a puddle of acid.

Eddie doesn't mean it, not really.

So Venom compresses down and takes up a small space alongside their heart, hoping this  _ mood _ passes soon. 

He feels Eddie push exhausted gratitude at him for giving him some space before it slips under the growing tide of panic.

Luckily, their stop is coming up.

Unfortunately, that means Eddie has to maneuver his way out of the trolley car.

As the car slows down, Eddie stands up and starts edging for the nearest exit. 

“Excuse me. Pardon me. I'm so sorry.” Eddie continues to mumble apologies as he slowly makes his way down the cabin. He's nearly to the door, and a support rail, when the trolley driver breaks harshly, causing Eddie to stumble into a douchey looking guy in a salmon pink polo shirt and khakis.

Venom tenses, already sensing the conflict brewing.

“Watch where you're going, you dumbfuck!” The guy snaps, hardly sparing Eddie a glance.

Eddie's reaction is near instantaneous. Even as he's saying, “Sorry, man,” he's shutting down.

For Venom, it's like watching a cascade failure: a process where one part of a working system fails, causing more parts to fail, until eventually the entire system collapses.

The first few parts that failed for their system were various little things throughout the day: the spilt coffee, realizing his deadline was three days earlier than he originally thought, his phone dying, dropping his notebooks and scattering his notes, the list goes on. They had been picking at Eddie, leaving a growing, festering mess of anxiety and self contempt in their wake. They caused a build up until this last comment hit him deep, causing the system to finally collapse on itself.

As mundane and uninspiring as the comment is, Venom still feels the sharp sting of pain just as Eddie does. It's impossible to tell if it's physical or emotional, even for the symbiote. It's gone in an instant though, leaving in its place a spreading numbness. 

Venom swiftly takes over their body. He'd be worried about Eddie's lack of protest if he isn't intently focusing on getting Eddie off the trolley. 

He really,  _ really,  _ wants to bite the head off that douchebag, but he's got a mission: get Eddie some place he feels safe. So he ignores the guy and pushes their way out and off the trolley.

**I got us, Eddie,** Venom says as quietly and soothingly as he can. Eddie gives the mental equivalent of a hum but nothing else.

Venom quickly walks them the last few blocks to the apartment building and gets them inside with little fuss. Once there, Venom sits them down on the couch and slowly releases his control of their body. Eddie slumps as soon as Venom let's go completely. Their head tips forward until it hits their chest, their shoulders hunch forward, and their body sags.

Frustrated and unsure, Venom huddles in their chest, trying to figure out where to go from here. 

He comes up with a plan when Eddie twitches at the slam of a door somewhere in the building.

Venom coalesces outside their shared body, taking a softer, snake like form as opposed to his usual fanged head. Impulsively, he bumps what could be considered his nose to Eddie's forehead. At the touch, Eddie lets out a sigh and then sniffs.

“Sorry, bud. You shouldn't have had to- to do that,” Eddie says, breath hitching a little.

**You were overwhelmed.**

It isn't a question, just a simple statement of fact, but Eddie responds anyway.

“Yeah, so? It ha-appens.  _ Fuck.”  _ The last word comes out harshly and Eddie scrubbs viciously at his face with his hands, nearly knocking into Venom. “This is so stupid, why the fuck am I crying?” He holds his fisted hands to his eyes and says quietly, “I really am a fucking loser.”

**_My_ ** **loser,** Venom says fiercely. 

He stretches out a few tendrils and gently wraps them around Eddie's wrists, tugging at them lightly until he removes them from his face. Once Eddie is looking at him, Venom continues. 

**Remember, we are losers** **_together._ ** **We help each other when it is necessary.**

Eddie huffs out a soft chuckle. “We need to work on your bedside manner. You suck at comforting.”

_ Nff,  _ Venom sniffs. He decides to let the comment pass and gives Eddie's tear stained cheek a lick.  **Stay here.**

“Okay?” Eddie asks, then wrinkles his nose. “That was gross, V,” he complains while wiping at his face. But his cheeks have gone pink and Venom can feel warm affection through their bond.

Venom stretches out and looks around for Eddie's weighted blanket. He finds it in giant heap on the floor by the foot of the bed. Wrapping tendrils around it, he drags it back to the couch and into Eddie's lap before pushing at Eddie's shoulder.

**Lay down.**

“Bossy, bossy,” Eddie mutters.

But, rolling his eyes, Eddie does as he's told and curls up on his side, head on a pillow. Venom tugs the blanket up around him before darting away again in search of a set of noise cancelling headphones Venom has seen in Eddie's memories.

“Don't have those no more,” Eddie says quietly from the couch. He's watching Venom, a soft, wondering expression on his face.

Venom's form twists in agitation.  **And why not?**

“Must have lost them in the move or somethin’.”

Venom moves back over to the couch and looks down at Eddie. Eddie meets his gaze.

“What?”

**Hm. You are hopeless.**

“Says the alien goo who can't even live here without hitchhiking a ride in someone.”

**Fair point,** Venom chuckles. 

He darts forward and presses a kiss against Eddie's cheek before sliding around his neck and upper back. He wraps a few tendrils around Eddie's ribs and considers him for a moment; he still seems tense. 

Eddie twitches and blinks rapidly at the sound of car door slamming outside. 

Venom had wanted to find the noise cancelling headphones. And it's not like he can go get new ones. So what's a symbiote to do?  

Well, there is one thing.

Giving a mental shrug, Venom tucks a few tendrils into Eddie's ears.

“What the fu-- _ oh.” _

Venom smirks in satisfaction as he changes his body composition until the bits in Eddie's ears effectively cut off any sounds. 

Eddie slowly relaxes until he becomes a boneless heap, his body unwinding as his brain calms down and returns to normal. 

**I will keep watch.**

**“‘** s nice,” Eddie mumbles.  _ Thank you. _

Venom lets out a rumbling purr in response and gently squeezes his ribs again.

**I got us.**

**Author's Note:**

> If you have a prompt for me, feel free to comment here or leave me a message on the series' [Tumblr!](https://winterhawkkisses.tumblr.com)


End file.
